By 1944, most US
Army armored divisions were organized under the flexible "combat command"
concept introduced in 1943. The previous organization, with two armored
regiments (four medium and two light tank battalions) and one armored infantry
regiment (three battalions) had proved to be too large and too tank heavy, though
two armored divisions (2nd and 3rd) remained in this configuration until the end of
the war.

The 1943 armored
division contained three tank battalions (each with one light and three medium
tank companies), three armored infantry battalions, three self-propelled field
artillery battalions, a mechanized cavalry squadron and various support units.
Regimental headquarters were abolished in favor of two combat command
headquarters to which the combat battalions and other division assets could be
attached as required. These headquarters were designated Combat Command A
(CCA) and Combat Command B (CCB). In 1944, a small "reserve" combat command
headquarters (CCR) was also authorized. The personnel for this new
headquarters mostly were provided by the HQ elements of redundant
tank, armored or tank destroyer groups. There were also headquarters units for
the division artillery and the division trains (logistical support
units).

Each tank
battalion contained 53 M4 Sherman medium tanks (75mm gun) in three companies,
17 M5 Stuart light tanks (37mm gun) in one company, and a support platoon with
six Sherman tanks mounting a 105mm howitzer. The armored infantry battalions
were equipped with the M3 halftrack, each of which could carry a rifle squad.
The armored field artillery battalions each contained 18 self-propelled 105mm
howitzers. The mechanized cavalry squadron was equipped with wheeled armored
cars, light tanks and halftracks. In all, the division contained 10,610
officers and enlisted personnel.

Armored divisions
were often reinforced with attached units, typically a self-propelled tank
destroyer battalion and a self-propelled antiaircraft artillery battalion. The
former was equipped with either the M10 (3-inch gun) or the M18 (76mm gun)
self-propelled tank destroyer. (Late in the war, a few battalions received the
M36 tank destroyer with a 90mm gun.) The AAA battalion was usually an
automatic weapons-type unit with 37mm guns and quadruple .50-caliber
machineguns mounted on halftracks. With these attachments, the armored
division was capable of generating an enormous volume of firepower. The
attached AAA battalion proved particularly effective in its secondary ground fire
support role.

The 5th Armored
Division ("Victory") was activated in October 1941 at Fort Knox, Kentucky,
arrived in the United Kingdom in February 1944 and landed in France on 25 July
1944. The division participated in the following campaigns: Normandy, Northern
France, Rhineland, Adrennes-Alsace and Central Europe. In total, 710 soldiers
of the 5th Armored Division and its attached units were killed in action or
died of wounds received in action, and 2,442 were wounded in action. The
division returned to the United States in October 1945 and was inactivated at
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on 11 October 1945.

Credits: The
drawings on this page are based on the specifications given in Army Regulation
260-10 dated 25 October 1944, a copy of which was kindly provided by FOTW
Mailing List member Joseph McMillan.To learn more about the history of the 5th Armored Division,
visit 5AD ON
LINE, hosted by Rick
Stilly.

Historical Footnote:The 66th and final annual reunion of the 5th
Armored Division Association was held on 14-17 June 2012
in Bangor, Maine, with fifteen former members of the division and
more than 300 friends and family in attendance. The closing address
was given by
Colonel George C. Benjamin, United States Army (Retired), who
commanded the division's 85th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. Lest
we forget.

DISTINGUISHING FLAGS

5th
ARMORED DIVISION

LATE-WAR VARIANT •
POSSIBLY UNOFFICIAL

COMBAT COMMAND A

COMBAT COMMAND B

DIVISION ARTILLERY

Flags
for the division and its subordinate units followed standard US Army patterns.
The distinguishing flag for armored divisions had horizontal stripes of
scarlet over green, the combat command flags were plain green, and the
division artillery flag was scarlet with a central horizontal yellow stripe.
CCR and the division trains were not authorized distinguishing flags. Distinguishing flags were made of wool bunting, 3 feet on the hoist
by 4 feet on the fly. As originally authorized, shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI)
for all armored divisions was identical except for the numeral. Late in the war,
tabs with division nicknames were added to the insignia, and some of these were
eventually made official.

HEADQUARTERS COMPANY & BATTERY
GUIDONS

HEADQUARTERS
COMPANY,5th ARMORED
DIVISION

HEADQUARTERS COMPANY,
COMBAT COMMAND A

HEADQUARTERS COMPANY,
COMBAT COMMAND B

HEADQUARTERS
BATTERY, DIVISION ARTILLERY

Guidons
for HQ companies of the division and its major subordinate headquarters were
of the same design as the distinguishing flags. The shoulder sleeve insignia
of the division was specified for the division flag and corresponding guidon
only.

UNIT COMPANY, BATTERY & TROOP GUIDONS

COMPANY B, 10th
TANK BATTALION

COMPANY C,
34th TANK BATTALION

HEADQUARTERS COMPANY,
81st TANK BATTALION

COMPANY B, 15th
ARMORED INFANTRY
BATTALION

HEADQUARTERS COMPANY 46th ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION

COMPANY A
47th ARMORED INFANTRY
BATTALION

HEADQUARTERS
BATTERY,47th
ARMORED FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION

SERVICE
BATTERY71st
ARMORED FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION

BATTERY C95th ARMORED
FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION

HEADQUARTERS TROOP 85th CAVALRY
RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON

COMPANY B22nd
ARMORED ENGINEER BATTALION

HEADQUARTERS
COMPANY628th TANK
DESTROYER BATTALION

BATTERY D387th
ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY BATTALION

Guidons for
cavalry, infantry, field artillery and other units of the division were
basically the same as those used today. Dimensions for all guidons were 20 inches at the hoist by 27 3/4
inches on the fly with a 10-inch fork, and they were made of wool
bunting. Antiaircraft artillery battalions usually had guidons of the Coast Artillery
pattern, since most of them had originated in that branch.